Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

दुर्लभं जाह्नवीस्नानं शिवे भक्तिः सुदुर्लभा । दुर्लभं ब्राह्मणे दानं दुर्लभं वह्निपूजनम्

Transliteration

durlabhaṃ jāhnavīsnānaṃ śive bhaktiḥ sudurlabhā | durlabhaṃ brāhmaṇe dānaṃ durlabhaṃ vahnipūjanam

Translation

जाह्नवी (गंगा) स्नान दुर्लभ; शिवभक्ती तर अतिदुर्लभ. ब्राह्मणाला दान दुर्लभ आणि वह्निपूजनही दुर्लभ आहे.

Word by Word

• दुर्लभम्: rare
• दुर्लभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• जाह्नवीस्नानम्: bath in the Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
• जाह्नवीस्नानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाह्नवी-स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शिवे: in/for Śiva
• शिवे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुदुर्लभा: very rare
• सुदुर्लभा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• दुर्लभम्: rare
• दुर्लभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• ब्राह्मणे: to/for a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दानम्: gift, charity
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दुर्लभम्: rare
• दुर्लभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• वह्निपूजनम्: worship of fire
• वह्निपूजनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि-पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced for Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narration

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dawn on the Gaṅgā: pilgrims entering the river for snān; a Śiva devotee with rudrākṣa and bilva offering; nearby, a brāhmaṇa receiving dāna; a small sacred fire altar with careful offerings—four ‘rare’ acts shown in one continuous tableau.

Characters & Entities

• Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
• Śiva
• Brāhmaṇa
• Agni (Vahni)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even highly meritorious acts are difficult to obtain; among them, steadfast Śiva-bhakti is portrayed as the most exceptional grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Jāhnavī—Gaṅgā—is praised as a sacred river where bathing is a rare and powerful merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Gaṅgā-snān (ritual bathing), brāhmaṇa-dāna (charity to brāhmaṇas), and vahni/Agni-pūjan (fire worship) are explicitly mentioned.